Legally Blonde facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Legally Blonde |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Robert Luketic |
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| Screenplay by |
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| Music by | Rolfe Kent |
| Cinematography | Anthony B. Richmond |
| Editing by | Anita Brandt-Burgoyne |
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| Distributed by | MGM Distribution Co. (United States) 20th Century Fox (International) |
| Release date(s) | July 13, 2001 |
| Running time | 96 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $18 million |
| Money made | $141.8 million |
Legally Blonde is a fun movie from 2001 about a girl who learns to believe in herself. It's a romantic comedy directed by Robert Luketic, and the story was written by Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith. It's based on a book by Amanda Brown. The movie stars Reese Witherspoon, Luke Wilson, Selma Blair, Matthew Davis, Victor Garber, and Jennifer Coolidge.
The story is about Elle Woods (played by Reese Witherspoon), a popular college student who loves fashion. When her boyfriend, Warner Huntington III, breaks up with her because he thinks she's not "serious" enough for his future as a politician, Elle decides to follow him to Harvard Law School. She wants to prove she can be smart and serious too. Along the way, Elle shows everyone that being blonde doesn't mean you're not intelligent, and she becomes a successful lawyer.
The idea for Legally Blonde came from Amanda Brown's own experiences. She was blonde and loved fashion, even while attending Stanford Law School. She often felt different from her classmates. In 2000, she met producer Marc Platt, who helped turn her story into a book. Then, screenwriters Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith adapted the book into a movie script. Director Robert Luketic was excited to direct the film, saying he finally found a story he could make his own.
The movie came out on July 13, 2001. It was a big hit, earning $141 million around the world, much more than its $18 million budget. Critics generally liked the movie, and many praised Reese Witherspoon's acting. The film was even nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture: Musical or Comedy. Reese Witherspoon also received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress. The movie has become very popular over the years and has a strong fan base.
Because the movie was so successful, it led to more Legally Blonde stories. There was a sequel in 2003 called Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde, and a spin-off movie in 2009 called Legally Blondes. A musical play, Legally Blonde: The Musical, also opened in 2007 on Broadway in New York City. In 2020, it was announced that a third movie is being planned, with Mindy Kaling and Dan Goor writing the script.
Contents
Story of Elle Woods
Elle Woods is a student who loves fashion and is part of a college club called a sorority. She thinks her boyfriend, Warner Huntington III, is going to propose to her during a fancy dinner. But instead, he breaks up with her! Warner tells Elle that he's going to Harvard Law School to become a successful politician, and he thinks Elle isn't "serious" enough for his life.
Elle is heartbroken but decides to prove him wrong. She studies very hard for months, takes a big test to get into law school, and gets perfect grades. Because of her hard work, she gets accepted into Harvard Law School too!
When Elle arrives at Harvard, her sunny, California personality is very different from her classmates on the East Coast. Many of them don't trust her at first. She soon finds Warner, but he's now engaged to his old girlfriend, Vivian Kensington, who thinks Elle is silly. Elle tries to tell Warner that she wants to get an internship with a professor, but he tells her she's wasting her time because she's not smart enough. This makes Elle realize that Warner will never take her seriously. So, she decides to work even harder to prove herself and show everyone how smart she really is.
The next semester, Professor Callahan, a very respected teacher at the school, chooses some first-year students to help with an important court case. Elle, Warner, and Vivian are all chosen. Professor Callahan is defending a famous fitness instructor named Brooke Windham, who Elle looks up to. Brooke doesn't want to tell anyone where she was when the crime happened. Later, she tells Elle that she was having a secret medical procedure that she didn't want anyone to know about. Elle promises to keep Brooke's secret.
Vivian starts to respect Elle more and even tells Elle that Warner only got into Harvard because his dad helped him. Emmett Richmond, who works with Professor Callahan, also notices Elle's potential.
One night, Professor Callahan tries to flirt with Elle, making her think that's why she got the internship. Upset, she decides to quit and almost goes back home to California. She tells Emmett what happened. When Emmett tells Brooke, she fires Professor Callahan and asks Elle to take over her case, with Emmett guiding her. Even though Elle is only a law student, Emmett explains that law students can represent clients if a licensed lawyer supervises them.
Elle begins to question Brooke's stepdaughter, Chutney, in court. Elle notices something strange in Chutney's story. Chutney said she was home during her father's murder but didn't hear the gunshot because she was in the shower after getting her hair permed that morning. Elle explains that washing permed hair within the first 24 hours would ruin the perm. She points out that Chutney's curls are still perfect. Chutney gets upset and admits that she accidentally killed her father. She really wanted to hurt Brooke because she didn't like that her father married someone her own age.
After the trial, Chutney is sent to jail. Warner comes to Elle and asks her to take him back, saying she has proven herself. But Elle says no. She realizes that Warner is not a good person and is very shallow. Elle and Vivian become good friends, especially after Vivian breaks up with Warner. Two years later, Elle gives the graduation speech at Harvard Law School. Warner graduates with no special honors, no job offers, and no girlfriend. Emmett has started his own law firm and has been dating Elle for two years. He plans to ask her to marry him that very night!
Characters
- Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods
- Luke Wilson as Emmett Richmond
- Selma Blair as Vivian Kensington
- Matthew Davis as Warner Huntington III
- Victor Garber as Professor Callahan
- Jennifer Coolidge as Paulette Bonafonté
- Holland Taylor as Professor Elspeth Stromwell
- Ali Larter as Brooke Taylor-Windham
- Jessica Cauffiel as Margot
- Alanna Ubach as Serena McGuire
- Francesca P. Roberts as Judge Marina R. Bickford
- Oz Perkins as David Kidney
- Linda Cardellini as Chutney Windham
- Bruce Thomas as UPS Guy
- Meredith Scott Lynn as Enid Wexler
- Wayne Federman as Harvard Admissions Counselor
- Raquel Welch as Mrs Windham-Vandermark
- Kimberly McCullough as Amy
- Greg Serano as Enrique Salvatore
- Allyce Beasley as UCLA Advisor
- Moonie as Bruiser Woods
More Legally Blonde Stories
The movie was so popular that it led to a whole series of Legally Blonde stories!
Sequels and Spin-offs
There was a second movie called Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde. There was also a movie that went straight to home video called Legally Blondes, which starred British twin sisters Camilla and Rebecca Rosso. A third movie for theaters is also being planned, with Mindy Kaling and Dan Goor writing the script.
The Musical
In April 2007, a musical play based on the movie opened on Broadway in New York City. It starred Laura Bell Bundy as Elle. The show, Laura Bell Bundy, and other actors were nominated for Tony Awards, which are big awards for plays. Later, the Broadway show even had a TV reality series on MTV called Legally Blonde: The Musical – The Search for Elle Woods. The winner of the show, Bailey Hanks, got to play Elle on Broadway!
Legally Blonde also ran for three years in London's West End, which is like their Broadway. Actresses like Sheridan Smith played Elle in London.
Images for kids
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A robot for kids.
See also
In Spanish: Legally Blonde para niños
